The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released its telecom subscriber data for May 2026, highlighting another month of strong growth for private telecom operators.

Bharti Airtel emerged as the largest wireless subscriber gainer during May, adding 2.93 million users. Reliance Jio followed with 2.15 million additions but achieved a historic milestone by crossing 500 million wireless subscribers for the first time.

India’s total wireless subscriber base also continued to expand, reaching 1.294 billion by the end of May, while growth remained strong across 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), wireline broadband and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) connections.

Airtel Leads Monthly Subscriber Additions

Bharti Airtel recorded the strongest subscriber growth during May 2026, adding 2.93 million wireless users.

Reliance Jio remained close behind with 2.15 million new subscribers, while Vodafone Idea posted a modest gain of 121,289 users.

State-owned operators continued to lose customers, with BSNL shedding 104,660 subscribers and MTNL losing 3,803 connections.

Jio Becomes India’s First 500 Million Subscriber Operator

Although Airtel led monthly additions, Reliance Jio achieved one of the biggest milestones in India’s telecom industry.

The company ended May with 501.44 million wireless subscribers, becoming the first telecom operator in the country to cross the half-billion mark.

The achievement further strengthens Jio’s position as India’s largest mobile network by subscriber base.

Wireless Market Share Continues to Favor Private Operators

Private telecom companies continued to dominate the Indian wireless market.

Together, Airtel, Jio and Vodafone Idea controlled 92.71% of all wireless subscribers, while BSNL and MTNL accounted for the remaining 7.29%.

The latest figures underline the continuing shift of subscribers from public-sector operators to private networks.

Airtel Maintains the Highest Active Subscriber Ratio

TRAI’s Visitor Location Register (VLR) data shows how many subscribers actively used their mobile connections during the reporting period.

Out of 1.277 billion wireless subscribers, 1.195 billion were active, resulting in a nationwide active subscriber ratio of 93.64%.

Operator-wise VLR:

  • Airtel – 99.28%
  • Reliance Jio – 98.83%
  • Vodafone Idea – 84.41%
  • BSNL – 55.85%

Airtel continued to lead the industry in active subscriber quality.

5G Fixed Wireless Access Sees Strong Growth

India’s 5G Fixed Wireless Access market continued its rapid expansion.

Total FWA subscribers increased to 12.73 million, reflecting rising demand for high-speed broadband without traditional fibre connections.

Reliance Jio also remained the only operator offering Unlicensed Band Radio (UBR) Fixed Wireless Access services, with 4.73 million UBR subscribers.

Wireline Subscribers Continue to Grow

India’s wireline subscriber base increased by around 60,000 connections during May, taking the total to 48.64 million.

Reliance Jio added more than 101,000 wireline subscribers and retained the largest market share at 31.83%.

Bharti Airtel followed with a 24.30% share.

M2M Connections Cross 131 Million

The Machine-to-Machine (M2M) segment also posted healthy growth.

Total M2M cellular connections increased from 127.48 million in April to 131.11 million in May.

Bharti Airtel remained the market leader with 80.83 million M2M connections, representing 61.65% of the segment.

Reliance Jio ranked second with 25.10 million connections, followed by Vodafone Idea.

What the Latest TRAI Data Means

The May 2026 subscriber report highlights three major trends shaping India’s telecom market.

First, Airtel continues to deliver the strongest monthly subscriber growth.

Second, Reliance Jio has reinforced its market leadership by becoming the first operator to cross 500 million wireless subscribers.

Finally, sustained growth in 5G Fixed Wireless Access, wireline broadband and M2M services suggests that future competition will increasingly focus on high-value digital connectivity rather than subscriber additions alone.

Who added the most wireless subscribers in May 2026?

Bharti Airtel led all telecom operators by adding 2.93 million wireless subscribers during May 2026.

Did Reliance Jio cross 500 million subscribers?

Yes. Reliance Jio ended May 2026 with 501.44 million wireless subscribers, becoming the first telecom operator in India to reach the milestone.

What is India’s total wireless subscriber base?

India’s wireless subscriber base stood at 1.294 billion at the end of May 2026.

How many 5G FWA subscribers are there in India?

The total number of 5G Fixed Wireless Access subscribers reached 12.73 million in May 2026.

What was the wireless tele-density in May 2026?

Wireless tele-density increased to 90.61% during May 2026.

Conclusion

TRAI’s May 2026 subscriber report reflects the continued dominance of private telecom operators. Airtel led monthly subscriber additions, while Reliance Jio achieved the landmark of 500 million wireless subscribers. Growth across 5G FWA, wireline broadband and M2M connections also points to increasing demand for next-generation connectivity, making these segments key drivers of India’s telecom industry in the coming years

For the latest tech news, follow TelecomByte on X, Facebook and Google News.